Recognizing CVPA Staff
Staff Recognition Award
Congratulations to Lina Akopov, winner of the 2026 CVPA Staff Recognition Award!
Lina is key to ensuring the seamless daily operations of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Event management, hosting guests, juggling multiple calendars, managing budgets and orders, detailed notetaking, and keeping everyone in the dean’s suite on track, is only a glimpse of her responsibilities. Lina completes each task with intention, professionalism, and a welcoming spirit.
Working with Lina every day, I can attest that the CVPA could not function without her incredible dedication and contributions. She is the glue that holds the place together, and because of her outstanding capacity to organize and facilitate our operations, we accomplish an astounding amount. We truly would be lost without her.
In recognition of this honor, Lina will receive an honorarium, and her name will be engraved on the CVPA Staff Recognition Award plaque, which is proudly displayed in the Dean’s Office. She will be recognized at college-wide meetings and a college staff reception hosted by the CVPA Dean.
Congratulations, Lina!
—Rubén Graciani
Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts
Recognizing CVPA Faculty
Distinguished Teacher
The Distinguished Teacher Award was established to honor faculty members annually for exemplary commitment to teaching. The James Madison University community strives to encourage excellence in the classroom and continues to make teaching and mentorship a priority.
Madison Scholar
The Madison Scholar is recognized for a record of outstanding scholarship/creative work and its dissemination through publication, exhibition, performance or other means.
Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award was established to recognize a faculty member who provides exceptional professional-related service at the university, local and national levels.
Contact your AUH and AUPAC for nominations which are due to Interim Associate Dean Eric Guinivan by 5 pm on Friday, September 26, 2025.
Call for Nominees for Faculty Awards AY26
Career Recognition Award
In recognition of long-time work for the arts at JMU, school directors may annually recognize one full-time faculty member in their school with a Career Recognition Award. Formal recognition will occur at a university-wide faculty event in the spring semester and the recipient will receive a $1,000 honorarium.
See a list of past recipients of the CVPA Staff Recognition, Outstanding Junior Faculty, Outstanding Student Mentor, Distinguished Teacher, Madison Scholar and Distinguished Service awards.
